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When you think of moving, you can picture endless days of packing, throwing things out, cleaning, re-organizing, renting a moving truck or service and so on. You get so focused on physically getting all of your belongings from one space to another (not to mention, paying for the move, deposit and first month's rent) that it's easy to forget what makes your apartment worth living in, the utilities. Here's a quick guide to getting everything set up, with the least amount of fuss and expense as possible.

Electricity/Water/GasIt's best to handle these things before you even move in. If you're staying in the same city but just moving to a different apartment, one phone call or email for each utility allow you to shut off your old utilities and start service for your new one. Talk to your landlord and re-read your lease before you sign up for anything, however. Not only can you clarify what they will be paying for versus what you'll be paying for, you can also ask them for a lists of service providers for your area.

HeatEvery year, the cost of heat rises. If you're lucky enough to have a landlord to pay for your heat, then move on and use all the money you saved on a nice cable bundle. If not, ask your landlord to give you the contact info for the company in charge of your heat. Chances are you'll only have one choice for a supplier. They'll give you sheets that have a projected figure for how much you'll be paying each month, but always put aside more money than that.

Internet/Cable/PhoneThe absolute best way to save money on internet, cable and phone service is to get all three in one bundled packaged. It can save customers anywhere between twenty to one hundred dollars a month compared to getting each service separately. However, there's a good chance you might be forgoing one of these tech services. Many new apartment owners don't need a landline phone service, or might be watching all their television on the computer.

Internet service is probably the trickiest of the utilities to set up. First, there seem to be dozens of providers, each with special deals. Talk to an operator for one of these services and ask them if there are any specials, such as an absurdly low rate for six months with options to cancel anytime after that. Then there's choosing which service is best for you, between dial-up, DSL or cable. Dial-up remains far and away the cheapest option but is still slow to log in as well as sending and receiving web pages. If you are already getting cable television, all you need is a separate connection cable for your computer. DSL is the simplest to install since it goes right into your phone line.

You have an emergency and you need cash. Where are you going to get it? If you had a monthly budget, you could have been prepared for this situation. In today's economy, having a household budget is pretty much a requirement for survival. You need to know where all your nickels and dimes are going. You know you pay your bills, but do you know where the rest of your money is going and why you don't have any left? ...

Sure, most people's perfect apartment on the inside has large windows, new appliances including a dishwasher, a walk-in closet. But just as important is what's outside of your apartment. Here are five tips that will help you narrow down exactly where are you looking for this dream apartment. ...

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